The Narrow Road
by Batman Lamp-Writer
Summary: Is not an easy path to follow. Especially when country boy Danny Fenton moves out to the big city of Amity Park, where the local PD never has a quiet day. But while cases flood in, can Danny learn to trust his new team after what happened in his hometown?
1. Case One Part One

A/N: Alright, like it or not, new story. This one, however, has become the one that actually _keeps_ my attention recently, due in no small part to a friend helping keep me on track. Actually, he's been lots of help with the dialogue and flow in this story, too. Anywayz, this'll be a fun one, and, frankly, with all the little plot points I want to tie into this one, I'm thinking it'll hold my interest. Here's to hoping it'll hold yours, too.

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

A tired young man finally, gratefully exited the plane. He hated flying in the crowded, commercial planes, much preferring the tiny crop dusters back home, or, better yet, his horse. Sure, he had his driver's license, but he'd never seen the point in getting a car when he could ride Yoki just as easily. He sighed, dragging a hand through his shaggy black, purple, and white locks before heading to the place he was supposed to pick Yoki up from. _If man were made to fly_, he thought, remembering one of his favorite quotes, _he would've been given wings._ Sure, crop dusters made his work easier, but that's all he saw technology as: a way to make life a little easier _without_ overly complicating it.

He waded through the seemingly endless mass of bodies, looking for the exit his friend told him to take to get to the nearby hotel. He was told to wait in the hotel's café until his horse arrived, so he decided to go ahead and get some coffee.

BEEPBEEP!

The young man whirled around, wondering who would be so rude, when—

"Howdy, Danny. How's the flight?"

The man, Danny Fenton, rolled his gray-blue eyes. "Not funny, cuz." A strong Texan accent colored his words. "How'dja get here so quick?"

"_Please_, bro. You _know_ I can make this baby move!" the other declared, patting the side of his pick up.

"Ya didn't _speed_, didja?" Danny asked, gaping.

"Now, why wouldja think _that?_"

Danny rolled his eyes again. "Oh, I dunno…."

"Sure, I've been a bit… excited sometimes, but—"

"Sure, _that's_ whatcha call it…."

"—But I'm here, and your horse is none the worse for wear."

"I sure _hope_ not, seein' as ya didn't ride her at all!" Danny huffed, blowing a piece of hair out of his eyes.

"…You're still on edge from the flight, aren'tcha?"

He sighed. "Eh, maybe a bit."

"Right, well—"

_Times change, change like the wind, I'm blown away agai—_

"H—hold that thought," Danny said, pulling out his ringing cell phone. "H—Hello?"

"_Yes, is this Daniel Fenton?"_

"Yeah, who's this?"

"_This is Lancer. We spoke on the phone."_

Danny straightened, remembering the previous call. "Yessir, I remember now."

"_Yes, well…. I hope the flight wasn't __**too**__ jarring…."_

"I'll manage, sir." Danny turned away from his friend, who was making faces and trying to get him to say who was on the phone. "What seems ta be the problem?"

"_Get in the car we left for you at the airport and come to Fremont and Main."_

Danny pulled his cell away from his ear to blink at it before replacing it. "Okay, see ya soon?"

"_Glad to have you aboard."_

A dial tone quickly met his ears. Danny hung up, looking back at his friend. "Well, that was…."

"Interesting?"

"Yeah. I guess he forgot I brought m'own ride."

"Eh, happens." His friend shrugged. "These city folk're notorious for their lack of ability ta concentrate on more than one thing at once."

"Well, that's just _peachy_, but what do I do with a car?"

"Just tell 'em or _show_ 'em your ride. Leave the car here. I'm not goin' _anywhere_ near that thing. And I don't think they'd've left it unattended if they wanted it back…."

"True. Any ideas on how ta get ta Fremont and Main?"

"Yeah, I passed it on the way in." After giving Danny directions, his friend said his good-byes and hopped back into his pickup, taking off as soon as Danny got his horse unloaded from the hitch she'd been in.

Shaking his head at his friend's lead foot, Danny mounted Yoki and headed down the road, thinking to himself, _Crime scene, here I come…._

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

"Okay, people. You have your assignments. _Move!_" a black-haired woman snapped at her team.

"Yes, ma'am!" the other three called back, rushing about to do their jobs and collect evidence for their new case.

Sam Manson sighed as her team ran around. She rubbed at her temples, violet eyes sliding shut as she wished (not for the first time) for a team that wasn't as disorganized as hers was.

"Uh, ma'am?" a voice asked of her.

"Yes? Ah," she blinked, catching sight of the young man she'd been told would be her new recruit, "Mr. Fenton. Glad you made it so—" Her eyes went wide as she noticed Danny's… ride.

He seemed to notice and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, yeah. I told the director I was bringin' my horse."

"Right, no… worries, then…."

Danny nodded absently, tying his mare's reins to a sign post he'd apparently deemed sturdy enough. "So, whadda we got here, ma'am?"

"Jane Doe, murdered in her own vehicle."

"Ah. What can I do?"

"Hmmm…. Well, for now, just do what you can. Feel free to ask any questions you may ha—"

Danny had already moved to help out her team. She smirked. "I think I'm gonna like _this_ guy…."

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

"How y'all doin'?" Danny asked his new teammates.

"Hm?" the lone girl, a brunette African-American, murmured, glancing up at him. "Who're you?"

"Um, Danny Fenton. I'm s'posed ta be joinin' the team today…?"

"Oh, right. I'm Valerie Grey, or Val. The other two over there are Dash Baxter—the blond—and Tuck—the one in the skull cap. Glad you're here to help."

The large blond, Dash, scoffed. "What can _he_ do that _I_ can't?"

Tucker crossed his arms. "Control himself, for o—"

Dash dropped his fist onto Tucker's head.

Danny blinked. "…Well, _they_ get along, don't they…?"

"Yeah…. You'll learn to ignore them."

Danny turned back to Val. "So, what seems ta be the problem?"

"You mean _besides_ the dead body?" One of Val's eyebrows shot upwards as her green eyes shot him a disbelieving look.

"I mean why haven't y'all gotten ta work? Your boss seems like a no-nonsense type, so…."

"Uh, yeah," Tuck said, "we seem to have misplaced our, uh, kits…."

"Wait." Now one of Danny's eyebrows jumped up. "Ya mean y'all _lost your equipment?_"

"Well, we usually only bring one, and I thought Dash was bringing his…."

"It was _your_ turn!" Dash snapped back.

Danny turned back to Val. "Ya have some blush?"

Tucker and Dash turned white.

Val blinked. "Huh?"

"Your powder, please, ma'am."

"Oh. Yeah." She rifled quickly through her purse, then handed him her blush.

"Thanks." He dusted the powder over the murder weapon, then pulled out his cell phone to take a picture of the print.

The two other guys went from pale to shocked before Dash chuckled. "Heh, we've got our own MacGyver."

"…McWho?"

All three of the Amity Park locals stared blankly at him. "Um, never mind. Good work."

Danny blinked. "Um, thanks."

"Uh," Tuck said, still looking worried, "any chance—?"

Danny grinned. "Don't worry, I won't tell the boss 'bout this."

"Tell me about what?" Sam asked as she came over.

"Nothin', ma'am." Danny then noticed Dash was still pale and shocked. "Um, what's with him?"

"You probably just used some words he didn't understand."

That seemed to snap Dash out of it. "Hey! He did _not!_ …I was just surprised _you_ didn't smack him for asking that." Then he spun to Danny. "And how the hell've you never heard of MacGyver? Where've you been _living_, under a rock?"

Danny blinked at him. "Naw, we just didn't have a TV on the ranch."

Dash stared. "Y—You…_ what?_"

"What's the big deal? We had _plenty_ ta do 'round the farm."

"Well, I—uh—"

"Can it, Baxter," Sam snapped.

Dash looked down, dejected.

"Alright, people, let's head back."

"Boss?" Val said. "I'd like to ride back with Danny to show him the way."

Sam nodded, turning to Danny. "Is that alright with you?"

"Yes, ma'am, 'long as it's okay with my horse."

The group, sans Sam, chuckled. "Alright," she said, "Val can tell you how to get there from here. Let's go." Sam, Dash, and Tuck left.

Danny and Val exchanged glances for an awkward moment before Yoki snorted. Danny shook himself, then asked, "So… you ever ridden before?"

"Uhh… a bit. Rode a pony or two as a kid."

Danny grinned. "Well, Yoki's still a pony at heart."

Val glanced over at the horse that was nudging its owner. "Heh, I can see that."

"Yeah…." Danny flushed. "Well, she should be fairly easy on ya. Not like we're ridin' 'cross a mountain range, so…."

"True. Hardest part should be dodging the foot traffic."

"Yeah, I figured as much."

"Well, if we can get up to a canter, we should be able to clear our own path."

"We can try, but I don't wanna go any faster than ya can handle. Ridin' Yoki's a _bit_ different than ridin' some little thing in a circle, so you're gonna be feelin' somethin' _fierce_ no matter _how_ fast we go."

Val's nose wrinkled as Danny easily swung himself up onto Yoki's saddle before leaning over to pull her up. "Yeah," she said, "I remember that much."

They went on their way, Val holding on tight to the saddle.

Danny grinned over his shoulder at her. "So, what's your story, ma'am?"

"Oh, not much. Been living here awhile now."

"Mhm. And how did a nice lady like yourself get ta be a G-man?"

Val chuckled. "I forgot some people still call us that. Well, I've always been interested in law enforcement. I've had some… training in self-defense, so the obstacles for recruits were easy for me."

"Well, well, well. That's interestin'."

"…What is?"

He blushed at her defensive tone. "Please don't misunderstand, ma'am. I'm still acclimatin' ta city life. I'm used ta ladies bein' able ta care for themselves, but… well… I didn't know _what_ ta expect and—"

Val chuckled. "It's okay, Danny, I'm just messing with you."

"…Okay…."

"Sorry, I need to remind myself you're still new."

"That's okay. I get the humor, just… wasn't expectin' that response."

"Heh, I hear ya."

"So, what's the rest of the team like?"

Val tried to think of how to describe their forensic tech and medical examiner. "Well… you should probably find that out for yourself."

"'S fair."

"In fact, we're here!"

Danny blinked. "Really?" He turned to see a sleek black building with a sign outside reading:

_AMITY PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT_

He gaped. "Th—This is your _building?_"

"Yeah… why?"

"Well, I wasn't expectin' somethin' this… this—"

"This modern?"

"Well… yeah…."

Val laughed. "It's okay. The government tends to get _some_ things right." Val slid off Yoki's back.

Danny still sat there, staring. "Uhh… y—yeah, I g—guess…."

Val sighed. "You'll have to get over this, y'know."

"Y—Yeah… j—just gimme a minute…." He blinked rapidly, running his hands through his tri-color hair before swinging himself down as well. He kept a firm grip on Yoki's reins. "Alright. Let's do this."

Val grinned, then turned to lead him into the building. "You might wanna find a place outside to tie her up. The guards aren't too animal-friendly."

Danny blinked after her, confused, but tying up Yoki as ordered. "…Y'all got _guards_, too…?"

"C'mon, Danny, let's introduce you to the rest of the team!"

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

A/N: Okay, so you'll be introduced to the last couple members (one you'll recognize, one you won't) next time. Since I've got dialogue for up to case five done and each case's dialogue _alone_ averages about 20-30 pages, it's basically a guarantee that this'll be a long one. Especially since I'm planning at least fourteen cases. Anyways, hope you like it! Read and review, plz!


	2. Case One Part Two

A/N: Okay, more cowboy!Danny for you!

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

Valerie sighed. "I _told_ you to stow that six-shooter somewhere less conspicuous. Guards around here get a bit jumpy when someone jus _waltzes_ in armed like _you_."

Danny blushed, fumbling to stow said gun back in its holster. "Sorry... no one at home woulda thought twice 'bout it, though..."

"Well...let me put it this way, Danny. From what I've gathered about your hometown, people are more...obvious with their intentions than here. City life's a _bit_ different than that out in less populated areas. I mean, seriously, what's your town's population, three hundred?"

Danny doubted his face could get any redder. "More like two fifty..."

"..I see. Well, believe it or not, this city alone has more than that in one _quarter_ of its space. Imagine if _that many _people walked around with colt revolvers strapped to their hips! If you know human nature in crowds as much as I'm guessing you do..."

"R—Right..."

"Exactly. I understand, as do at least Sam and the director, that you have some...acclimating to do, but...well, there're a few things you need to realize that're necessary to operating in a different locale. That's one of 'em right there."

"Y—Yes, ma'am..."

Val made a face. "Danny, please. The only 'ma'am' in this place is the boss, Sam. Call me Val."

"Sure thing, ma-Val."

"Don't get me wrong, man. I appreciate your courtesy. It's just that, round here, most girls aren't used to being called 'ma'am'. They might look at you funny—like I just did—or...worse…."

Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "Pardon my ignorance to custom 'round here, but... how can showing respect be a bad thing? And whaddaya mean worse?"

"Well...how should I say this... Basically, there may've been some common courtesy around here at some point, but…it steadily faded away. It still exists to some degree, but well...not nearly as much as what's probably the norm in your neck of the woods. People here are so focused on what they're doing, for the most part they don't even consciously notice anyone else around them. They might be nice, sure, but they don't exactly go outta their way..."

"Okay... but whaddid ya mean by 'worse'?"

"Well…y'see...people here think that any overt showing of courtesy, affection, etc, that they aren't used to or otherwise expecting is, at the very _least_, patronizing, so...they can tend to get a bit...well, defensive."

"...Defensive _how?_"

Val put a finger to her chin, trying to decide how best to explain. "...Well, that depends. If a person has the right...training, they may attempt to put you down themselves. If not, well...they just might call the cops on you."

"...Y'all have some _weird_ customs, here..."

"Heh...I suppose they _would_ seem strange to someone who's not from around here. Of course, I doubt there're too many people who have any _idea_ what cow tipping is…."

Danny huffed. "We _do not_ cow-tip. That's just a folk tale."

Valerie blinked at him. "...Seriously?"

"Yup. Now, you said somethin' about meetin' people?"

Val shook herself out of it. "...Uh, sure. First, we're gonna meet a guy called Vlad. He's a bit...eccentric, but he's cool."

"Awright, where's he?"

"Right this way."

Val led him into an elevator and pressed the 2B button. A moment later, the elevator dinged, and they walked out into a pristinely-kept autopsy.

"Hey, Vlad!" Val called.

The gray-haired man turned, grinning at them. "Why, hello, Valerie. And who is this strapping young lad?"

Danny blinked. "Uh, I'm Danny Fenton..."

"I see. And, is that—" Vlad glanced down at the gun on Danny's hip "—a leather-bound 1965 colt .45?"

"Um, y—yes'r, it is."

Vlad smiled warmly at him. "Good choice, son. Good choice."

Val decided to help the nervous new recruit out. "...Right. Well, Vlad, has anyone come down yet?"

"Why yes, of course...you two didn't come back with the others?"

"Uh...not exactly. Danny brought his own mode of transportation."

And the attention was back on a very uncomfortable Danny. "Did he?"

Danny nodded. "Yes'r. Brought my horse up with me."

"Oh...I see. I trust the animal wasn't flown from Texas with you, correct?"

"No, sir. I got a friend to hitch her up in his trailer."

"Good, good. And it's Vlad, young man. Nice to see courtesy is not as dead elsewhere as here, but please. No need to call me 'sir'."

"R—Right. Um, so you're the coroner for the team?"

"I'm the medical examiner, yes...among other things..."

Val grinned. "Yeah. Vlad helps out in other areas, as needed, from time to time, though his forte is definitely studying the dead."

"Indeed. As an idol of mine once said, 'The language of silence may be hard to hear. But, unlike the living, when the dead speak they do _not_ lie'."

"Um, right..."

Val stepped back in. "Anyways. We should probably head upstairs."

Vlad nodded. "Very well. Nice to meet you, young man."

Danny shook hands with him. "You, too, si—Vlad."

Val and Danny headed back to the elevator, Val pressing 1B this time.

"Word of advice," she said. "Try and follow my lead a bit. Not saying you should be _too_ friendly, but you won't have to be so proper either. Least, not toward everyone."

"Sorry, Val, it's habit, though."

"Hey, man. Nothing wrong with that. I'm not trying to change who you are, as much as trying to help ease your transition to this new environment. Just saying to not take offense if someone doesn't want you to call them 'sir' or 'ma'am'. It's nice every once in a while, but...it can seem overused sometimes. Least, it can to someone from around here."

"It's not that I'm takin' offense to it, I'm just not used ta goin' against that habit yet."

"Ok, cool. Just saying." Val winked. "Anyway, there's someone else you should meet before we rejoin the rest of the squad, our forensic tech."

"Your—?" Danny stared, wide-eyed, at her. "You've got a person _just_ for forensics?"

"Well...yeah. When you have this many people in such a tight space, you tend to be able to have more specialized individuals."

"Huh," Danny muttered to himself, "never thought I'd see the day..."

"…Anyway," Val said as the elevator door opened and they stepped out, "I think I should really warn you…. This guy can be a bit, well—"

"_VALLEY!_" a voice yelled from the next room. A giddy redhead ran over to them, hopping a bit. "Oooh! You brought a new friend!"

Val sighed, rubbing her throbbing forehead. "I _TOLD_ you! _Just_ because my dad might've let his name for me slip, does_ not_ mean you can pick it up!"

"_Awww_, but Valley's such a _cute_ name for you!" The young man turned to Danny. "And who do we have here?"

"Uh..yeah. His name's Danny…."

Danny just gaped. "_This_ is your _forensics guy?_"

The man came right up to Danny, standing almost nose-to-nose with him. "Oh, I can do more than forensics, if ya know what I mean...!"

Danny blinked. "Um, naw, I don't..."

The other spun back to Valerie. "Geez, Val, he's got an accent and everything! Where'd you get him and can I get one?"

Val sighed. "Esu, how many times do I have to tell you. You can't purchase humans in this country, and you should _certainly_ not be that…er, open with anyone who might chance to pass your field of vision."

Esu hugged Danny. "Awww, but he's _adorable!_ You got a real-life cowboy!"

"Let him go, Esu!"

Danny wriggled uncomfortably. "Um, I'm with Val on this one..."

Esu _pouted_. "Awww, fine..." He let Danny go rather reluctantly.

One of Val's eyebrows shot up. "Need I get the director down here again?"

His pout deepened. "No..." Esu turned back to Danny. "I was just saying hi..."

"Um, hi...?" Danny found himself leaning back a bit from the other man.

"So...has anyone informed you of our latest case?"

"Not yet, but knowing Sam, they'll be here—" The rest of the team exited the elevator, and Esu gave Val a wide grin. "—right now!"

"Hey, Es—Oh, hi guys," Sam said as she saw the others.

"Hello, ma'am," all three replied.

"You...sure got here quick."

Val smirked. "Told you we could get here faster than you guys. In city traffic, nothing beats true horsepower."

"Hey, boss, you got your team a cowboy!" Esu exclaimed happily.

Danny stared in shock at the forensic tech.

"…Y—Yes, Esu, I'm well aware of that. The director's the one who deserves the credit, however. I'm usually not one for adding to our little group, but we'll see how he does."

Dash grumbled to himself, "Big deal, so he knows how to—" An elbow to his stomach stopped his complaining.

Tucker smiled as he pulled his arm away from Dash. "Great work out there, Danny. Don't mind Dash."

Sam snorted. "Certainly not. Baxter has a hard time letting _anyone_ share his spotlight, let _alone_ a newbie."

Danny nodded. "Y—Yes, ma'am. Um, Val was just introducin' me to your c—medical examiner and forensics tech."

"Ah. You've just come from autopsy, then?"

"Yeah. I think Dan here was surprised at Vlad's knowledge of firearms."

Sam sighed. "You'll have to get used to it, Danny. One thing I've almost come to rely on is Vlad's ability to surprise me, even when everything else doesn't."

"R—Right, ma'am."

Sam took Val to one side, asking quietly, "How's he doing so far?"

Val glanced quickly at Danny, who was being distracted by Esu and Tucker. "Pretty well, I'd say. Still has to get used to not being so overtly polite twenty-four-seven but, then, that's understandable."

"Quite." Sam turned back to the rest. "I hope you'll like it here, Danny. Some people may be a bit...off-putting at first—" she glanced at Dash and Esu "—but they're mostly okay individuals."

Danny nodded seriously. "Of course, ma'am."

Esu stifled a squeal, murmuring to himself, "He's so _proper!_"

Sam glared at Esu. "I think you should continue the tour of our facility, Val."

"To—? Right. This way, Danny." She pulled Danny towards the door.

As they left, they could hear Esu complain loudly, "Awww, _boss!_"

Danny glanced back at forensics before looking at Val, who continued to drag him away. "What else is there ta see...?"

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

Sam marched into the conference room. "Okay, what've we got?"

"Well, we..." Dash sighed. "Actually, boss, we got a whole lotta _nothing_."

Sam sighed. "Doesn't_ anyone_ have _anything!_ Tuck?"

"...No."

"Val?"

"Nada."

Sam groaned. "Okay, Danny. Any ideas?"

Danny jumped a bit at being addressed, but thought it through quickly. "Did Esu run those prints yet?"

"Uhh..good poin-"

RINGRING

Ignoring the stifled chuckles as Danny was startled by the phone, Sam slid the cell open easily. "Manson."

"_BOSS!"_ Half the people in the room could hear Esu's shout._ "Y'know that print you dropped off?"_

"…Y—Yes...?"

_"You will __**never**__ guess what I found! Y'know that dude that's campaigning for mayor? That Stephens guy? Guess who his campaign manager was?"_

"...Enlighten me."

_"Our Jane Doe is really Jamie Donaldson, who was his campaign manager until she discovered some __**very **__shady deals he's been getting for his campaign."_

"...Seriously? H—How many points're in the match?"

_"Out of sixteen, fourteen. The last two were blurry to begin with."_

Sam clicked off the phone. "Esu's got a lead. Val, take Danny and check it out. Tuck, go with them."

Dash groaned. "Aww, c'mon—" 

Sam _glared._

"...Fine, I'll stay here…."

Val nodded. "...Okay, boss. Let's go, guys!"

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

"So, Dan, is Yoki gonna be okay by herself, or are you gonna have to take her _everywhere_?" Val asked as they headed out to the cars.

"She'll be fine once I set 'er up at my house here. I found a place at the edge of town with a decent yard."

"…You did?"

"Yup. It's a bit smaller of a house than I'm used to, but it's got room 'nough for Yoki in the back yard, and I'll have a small barn up for 'er in no time."

Tucker blinked at him in shock.

Val glanced between them, then said, "Ah…. The house wouldn't happen to be about 150 years old, with a nice little alcove in the third story, would it?"

Danny blinked a couple times. "Yeah, I think so. Why?"

Val chuckled. "Heh. No reason. That's actually the director's vacation residence. He likes to be able to relax somewhat, while still being close enough to the action should we need him."

Danny blushed. "R—Really? I—I mean, he told me he knew a place and could set me up there, but he never said—"

"He never would. He rents the place out from time to time, but it stands unused most of the year. He makes sure it's kept up, even invites the team to use it whenever any of us wants to, but never accepts anything in return, money or otherwise."

"I—I'll hafta find _some_ way to repay him, I mean, ta let me use his _own house!_ W—Well, vacation house, but _still!_"

Val and Tucker shared a smirk, then Tuck placed a hand on Danny's shoulder, effectively silencing him. "Cool it, man. He most likely won't accept anything, except _maybe_ a 'thank you'. That's just the kind of guy he is."

"Tuck's right. Apparently, he grew up with that house. It was built by his relative from a few generations before him who'd owned acres beyond it. Says it's the least he can do to keep the legacy of always giving what you're able to to anyone who needs it."

"Yeah, man. Sure, he's _very_ tough on criminals and whenever he needs to be, but most of the time he's cool."

"I—I guess so... I just... I can't believe he'd just _let_ me stay there! He barely even _knows_ me!"

"Dude, it's cool. He probably knows enough about you to be doing this."

"Yeah, Dan. Trust me when I say he doesn't let anyone near _him_, let _alone_ anything he owns unsupervised if he's not vetted them enough."

Danny blushed darkly. "Y—Yeah, right..." He ducked his head, avoiding their eyes.

"Don't get us wrong, man."

"Yeah. Lancer probably just researched you enough to think you a good enough character. He's the kinda guy that'll give you the benefit of the doubt, but if you cross him...well…."

"Right. Stay in his good graces, got it. So, about this guy we're s'posed ta interrogate...?" Danny glanced between the two of them, curious.

"Oh, right." Val turned to Tucker. "Tuck, you take the sedan to the location. Dan and I'll meet you there."

Tucker chuckled. "Got it." He slid into the car and took off.

Val looked back at the cowboy. "Alright, Dan. Let's get Yoki over to the ranch house."

"Um, if Tuck's goin' to the place we're interrogatin' this guy at, how'll we get there after droppin' Yoki at the ranch?"

Val smirked. "Trust me. We'll be _just_ fine!" She winked at Danny.

He gave her a suspicious look, but shrugged it off. "...Awright..." Then he untied Yoki and swung himself on.

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

A/N: Okay, so this is gonna be about the average length for each chapter. Don't expect quick updates, mostly 'cause my parents are really being strict about my grades _and_ I've got summer courses this year. -.-' Anywayz, read and review, y'all! …Oh no, Danny's accent is rubbing off on me…. Oh, wait, I did that before this story. :D


	3. Case One Part Three

A/N: …Hi. Sorry about the delay in getting this chapter out. My collaborator for this story and I both have summer classes which are apparently killing him and boring me. Anyways, it's not like I don't have a huge amount of buffer for this story, so posting another chapter is safe. There's probably about eleven sitting in a folder on my computer, waiting for me to add in the non-dialogue….

Erm, happy reading?

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

"Well, we're _here_!"

Danny stared up at the ranch house. It appeared simple enough, with three stories and a large shed out in the back. "...Huh," he murmured, "it looks bigger in real life..."

Val chuckled. "These things usually do. Now, tie up Yoki on the front porch. When you're done, meet me around back." She walked off, leaving a blinking Danny there.

Danny glanced at Yoki, shrugged, and moved to tie her up to one of the patio's pillars before heading around back. "Okay, so what's the—what is _that?_"

He was staring at a set of bilco doors. They were a bright red and leaned at an angle out from the house itself.

Val rolled her eyes. "Dude, chill. It's called an outside basement entrance. It's what's _inside_ that'll _really_ knock your _socks_ off!" She pulled open the doors and disappeared inside.

Danny's eyes went wide. "Oh dear gawd, it ain't a ranch house, it's the frickin' _bat cave!_"

"..Dan, please. _Breathe_. As I said, this is the vacation residence of the _director_, not some quaint little B&B in some magazine by RCI or some such organization. These are just bilco doors. Nothing fancy. And the little surprise isn't exactly high-tech. But, _man_, is _it __**cool**__!_"

Danny shivered a bit, not liking whatever this surprise was already. "R—Right, of course. This is the city, everyone in the city has fancy little escape hatches in their backyards..."

Val grinned over her shoulder at him as she led him down the stairs. "Heh...not exactly. But, then, not everyone has as...storied a history as Lancer's family."

"Alright, so what's this other surprise?"

"Follow me. Oh, and...watch your step. Some of the steps can be a bit...tricky." She continued down, and Danny followed as ordered.

He frowned, though, at her last warning. "How s—_oof!_" His foot had caught on one stair, stumbling and landing rather hard on a small landing about three feet below where he tripped.

Val sighed. "I tried to warn ya!" She pulled a previously invisible string, causing the lights to turn on. "That better?"

Danny replied with his face still to the floor. "Much..." He pulled himself back up, shaking his head. "Ugh, _never_ using that entrance again..."

"Don't worry, we won't have to." Val smirked. "At least, not _that_ way."

"Huh?"

"You'll see." She walked off to the far side of the room, declaring, "Check _this _baby out!" Then she ripped off a tarp, revealing a kick-ass ATV.

Danny's eyes widened slightly, then he smirked. "Ohhh, _these_ I remember from back home..." He walked over, straddled the seat, then revved the engine. "Lesgo."

Val blinked at him before throwing up her hands. "Whoa, killer! You have _no_ idea how to work _this_ little beauty!"

Danny merely stared at her, disbelieving. "Val, I've _built_ these things. Nothin' y'all coulda done to it'd surprise me."

She snorted. "How about I _show_ you some...additions that've been made, then _you _tell _me_ if you can handle it, okay?"

Danny huffed. "Fine."

"Thank you. Scootch back a bit, please," she politely ordered as she moved to take the front spot.

He grudgingly did so, saying, "Go ahead."

"_Gracias_, amigo." She swung herself on. "Now. About those steps. You see that little box on the wall right behind you?"

He glanced to the side, noticing the tiny box for the first time. "Yeah?"

"Punch the black button at the very top, _por favor_."

"Any particular reason for the Spanish?" He pressed the button.

"Eh, I speak Spanglish now and then." As she was speaking, the 'old' steps turned to join, then slanted as one to form ramp.

Danny stared blankly at the new ramp. "...What."

She just smirked. "_Told_ ya we wouldn't be using that entrance that way! Now..." She pressed a button by her left thigh, causing ankle straps to appear, locking both people in place. "There we go!"

Danny was getting fidgety and nervous, wanting off and wishing he hadn't agreed to this. "Um, what're the straps for...?"

Her grin turned feral. "THIS!" Then she revved the engine, blasting out of the basement.

"Holymotherof—who the heck makes a bike _this fast?_" Danny screamed, clinging to Val as the ATV shot forward and down the road.

"Heh. That'd be a couple of the...changes that've been made to this baby."

"How're we not gonna _crash_ in this thing? Traffic here moves slower than molasses!"

She snorted. "Who said we'd be using the _roads!_"

Danny doubted his eyes could get any wider. "W—What?"

"Tch, tch. Danny, Danny, Danny. You think because this city is larger than your hometown that everyone lives in a high rise? Think again, man!"

"...So it's some place on the outskirts, then? Alright, but do we have ta go so _fast?_"

"…No. But it's _soo_ much _funnn!_"

Danny groaned. "Oh gawd, this town's full of adrenaline junkies..."

"Well, when you live cooped up in that urban jungle for so much of your life..."

"...And here I thought trick ridin' was an adrenaline boost..."

Val sighed. "Okay, we'll go normal speed. One more thing, though."

"What?"

"Oh...nothing. It's just that...well... Does this ATV seem a bit...lighter than it first appeared to be?"

Danny thought that through. The bike was lighter than it looked. "Um... now that ya mention it, yeah..."

"Well...look straight down."

"What're you-?" Danny looked down, and, seeing that they were floating nearly a foot off the ground, immediately shutting his eyes and holding on tighter to the ATV. "_Put us back down!_"

Val shrugged. "Can't. Only way to do _that'd_ be to go back to the garage. The wheels you saw were mostly cosmetic. They aren't actually attached to this thing. Sure, they were at first, but that was magnetization. That's how this thing parks...and also how we control for any unauthorized piloting."

"Shitshitshit I want _DOWN!"_

"Cool it, man. We aren't gonna take _off_ or anything. It's just that, well...this thing don't run on old-fashioned gasoline."

"Then what the hell _does_ it run on?"

"To be precise...algae."

Danny actually opened his eyes just to blankly stare at her. "This frickin' thing is _flying_ and it's dependent on _algae?_ Who the hell _makes_ this stuff?"

Val smirked. "Danny, I don't know what you've learned thus far, but...basically, Lancer grows algae. The algae use sunlight to make energy. That energy is used to charge this beauty's battery. So, it runs on electricity gotten from algae. Also, when the algae finally...pass on, they can be turned into a fluid with the consistency of gasoline. However, any emissions are _certainly_ not detrimental to the environment. So, any extra umph comes from the algae itself. Ask someone to show you the process some other time. We're kinda short on time, ya know…."

"Fine, then _land_ this frickin' thing and let's go!"

"...Danny, I told you. I _can't_. This thing only runs hovering and, well...we're not exactly able to walk from here."

Danny practically growled. "Then get us there _NOW!_"

"Yes _sir!_" Val floored it, and they zoomed along for a few moments before she slowed to a stop, stating, "_Estamos aqui, __señor!_"

His eyes were still closed, not quite trusting anything right now. "Are we on the ground again?"

"Well...not exactly. The wheels're back at the ranch, but it's safe to step off."

"_Good!_" He practically jumped off, collapsing to the ground, crying out, "LAND!"

Tucker chose that moment to walk up to them. "Wow. You guys made good—" He paused when he saw Danny. "...You took off before explaining again, didn't you, Val?"

She grinned happily. "Guilty."

"...Of course..."

Danny sat up, grumbling, "I _hate_ stupid frickin' flyin' machines..."

"But we weren't—" 

"It's okay, Danny," Tucker said. "You can ride back with me if you want."

Val shrugged. "Sure. That is, if you don't mind my riding Yoki solo."

Danny blinked, glancing between the two. "Wait, you do what now?"

"Danny, please. Try and take a breath." 

Tucker patted Danny on the shoulder, grinning reassuringly at him. "Yeah, man. If you don't leave here with Val, she's gonna be going back to the ranch alone. I can't meet her there. And, since Yoki's the only other way to get back to HQ..."

Danny blinked a couple times before catching on. "_Ohhh_... But why not just take the screamin' metal death trap back?"

Both chuckled. "If you _really_ want to."

"Yeah, man," Tuck said, "Totally your call."

"_I_ don't want to, I meant why doesn't _Val_ take that... _thing_ instead of Yoki? She'll be fine at the ranch 'til we get back."

Val stared at him. "...Dude, I told you. This thing runs on _algae _power. It only had enough in it for a round trip ranch to here. Not exactly, but...basically. The only place with ready fuel _is_ the ranch."

"...That doesn't seem very efficient..."

"Hey, it's not exactly _mass produced_," Val huffed.

"Good," Danny shot back.

"Yeah, man," Tuck said. "The thing's mostly a playtoy for the director and his closest friends." 

"Heh…" Val chuckled, "closest friends being anyone with the balls to try and tame this thing…." She and Tucker shared a smirk.

Danny rolled his eyes. "I've tamed mustangs wilder than _that_ thing." He shuddered. "They just don't _fly_." He made a face at the last word.

Val sighed. "Dan, we _weren't _flying. We were _barely_ a few inches off the ground."

"Yeah, man. That one doesn't fly."

"...As in, there's one that _does?_" Danny blanched at the thought.

Tucker's eyes were shifty. "Uhh...yeah...you could say that." 

"…Heh...yeah. Remember that one long basement wall made of one big mirror?"

Danny was completely ashen by now. "...I'm officially _never_ going in that basement _again..."_

Val snickered. "Which is why I'm asking your permission to ride Yoki without your being there. Either you ride back with me on this—whether you go back in the garage is your choice—or you ride to HQ with Tuck, and I meet you there with your horse."

Danny sighed, giving up. "...Just be careful with her. And I tell you this more for your protection than hers. That horse has an attitude..." He glanced over at said horse, who snorted at him.

Val chuckled. "I noticed earlier."

Danny's head tilted to one side. "Huh?"

"Dude, don't you remember? I rode back with you on her from the crime scene?"

Danny thought back. "But she was behavin' purty well then..."

"Heh…maybe to _you_. I can tell when an animal's a bit…uneasy carrying a stranger."

"Hm? Oh, that. Yeah, she gets that way when anyone but me or my family rides her." He smirked. "Though she still won't let Jazz ride her..."

"...I see. Well, I think we should be able to manage the ride back to base." 

Tucker grinned at Val. "Yeah...you always _have _had a special knack with animals."

Danny just shrugged at them. "Either way, good luck with 'er."

"Thanks." 

"…Anyway, we _do_ have someone to question here." Tucker rolled his eyes as the other two blushed, remembering their original goal. 

"Oh...right. My bad."

"Awright, so let's—" Danny got cut off as someone slammed into him and both fell to the sidewalk. "Ouch!" 

"_Oof!_"

Danny stared up at the kid who'd fallen onto him, then blinked and rolled out from under him. "Geez, you awright, kid?" 

"Y—Yeah, sorry, mister..." The kid stood up.

Danny stood as well. "Well... s'long as you're awright..." 

"Bye!" The kid took off, Danny staring in confusion after him.

Tuck and Val walked over, the former looking worried and the latter barely containing her laughter. "…You alright, man?"

"I'm fine," Danny said, eyebrows peaking. "I just hope that kid really _is_ awright, he was movin' purty fast..."

Val laughed out loud then. "I—I think you just got robbed."

Danny blinked at her. "You... what?"

"Check your pockets, dude!"

Danny did so, wondering, "Why would I needa—?" He froze, a hand in his front pocket, then, "Little bandit took my wallet!"

As he took off after the kid, Val and Tucker doubled over laughing.

"Let 'em go," Tuck finally managed once the laughter subsided. 

Val wiped a tear from her eye, saying, "Yeah, we should get going, too."

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

"So, this...Stephens, is it?" Tuck began as they moved around the side of the building and started up some stairs. 

"That's what the boss said." 

"What's his relation to the deceased again?" 

Val shrugged. "Well, it's basically textbook politics. He was a rising name, looking to be on the ticket for mayor. She was a young, beautiful, bright woman with enormous…potential." 

"Heh...like blood in the water." 

Val snorted. "Please. More like a _gallon_ of blood in a freaking _Dixie cup!_"

"…Right. Well, we should probably—" 

Val threw a hand out to stop him, yelling, "Freeze!" 

Tucker did so mid-step. "What the—?" 

Val motioned in front of them. "Tripwire. Almost missed it myself." 

Tucker stared, wide-eyed, at her in shock.

"_Very carefully_, place your foot next to the one still on the ground." 

Tucker slowly moved his foot back to the floor. 

"Good. Now…." Val crouched, following the tripwire to where it met the wall. "...You have _got_ to be _kidding_ me." 

Tuck barely stopped himself from panicking. "…W—Wh—What is it!" 

"Brainchild of a very…innovative little bastard. Seems to be a pressurized canister of shaving cream." 

"Whaddya mean, _seems_ to be!"

"Well, the only way to know for sure is detonation—" 

"No thank you!" Tuck replied instantly.

"…That's what I thought. Let's keep going, but…take it slow. I would say 'watch your step', but then you're liable to trip over a blade of grass looking for a landmine." 

"…very funny, Val." Tuck glared at her. 

"Okay, let's see…." 

The two continued to creep carefully up the stairs.

"Well, I don't see anythi—" 

"FREEZE!" 

Val rolled her eyes. "Tuck, c'mon, man, don't—" 

"I—I'm not kidding!" 

Val believed him and stopped. "...What's wrong?" 

"L—L—Look at your chest!" 

Val glanced down, seeing a red dot moving slowly across her torso. "What the _hell!_" 

A voice called out through hidden speakers. "_Intruders, identify yourselves or face the consequences._" 

"…Special Agents Foley and Grey, APPD!" 

The red dot vanished, and instead of being relieved, Val was just angry. "…That's it. This guy has some _serious _explaining to do!"

"Heh…_you're_ telling _me!_ Here's his front steps." 

Val stomped towards them, saying, "Yeah, well, I'm done playing games." She pounded on the door. "Mr. Stephens, this is Special Agent Grey of the APPD. Please come to your front door."

The man who came to answer the door was slightly overweight and rather short. His face seemed a little pinched, with squinty eyes that Val and Tuck immediately distrusted. "And what, pray tell, are Amity Park's finest doing at _my_ front door? Certainly there are other places your attention is needed."

The two cops realized then that the man was a smooth talker. Not surprising for a politician. "Not at the moment, sir." Val answered. "I'm sure you're aware of your former manager's…passing?"

"Ah, yes, dear Jamie. Such a lovely young lady, very good at her job. Such a tragedy that she's gone..."

"Yes, I can see that. Our condolences." 

"Certainly." Val was mentally rolling her eyes as Tucker played along with the man. "May we come in? We have a few questions for you."

"Of course, of course." Stephens ushered them in.

"Thank you. As I said, we have some…things we wish to discuss." 

"Indeed," Tucker said, taking over. "As you are probably aware, your constant…closeness to Miss Donaldson has not gone altogether unnoticed by the local populace. As such, it would be a misstep if we did not at least appear to consider you capable in the onset of any investigation into her demise."

He sighed. "Of course, have to uphold the formalities, no matter how fruitless. Ask away."

"Thank you for understanding. However, before we begin the formalities, I feel I have to ask…who designs your…defense grid here?"

Stephens chuckled nervously. "That would actually be my head of security. Rather paranoid fellow, you know, but he gets the job done."

"…Paranoid," Val repeated, deadpan. "Yes, I suppose you could call him that." 

"Was…that a…_dart_ gun I saw in the upstairs window?" Tuck asked.

Stephens shrugged. "Quite possibly."

Val shot Tuck a glare. "…A _dart gun!_" 

"S—Sorry, Val. I only just noticed it as we were walking up the front steps." 

"…I see." She turned back to the politician. "So, I take it he's as…prolific with his…toys around the rest of your domain here?"

"Yes, he tends to be. But he always aims to incapacitate rather than kill. If you'd been hit by _anything_, you would've been brought straight here for me to determine what to do with you."

"That explains the shaving cream…." Val muttered to Tuck.

"…Very good. Anyway, let's get down to business, shall we?" Tuck tried, smiling nervously.

"But of course. What do you need to know?"

"Well, could you please, in your own words, describe the relationship you two shared? Again, these questions are more formalities than nothing else. We need to get a few things on record, regardless of what common knowledge may be."

"Well, Jamie was an intern for me for a while, and when I decided to run for mayor, she asked to be my campaign manager. She was an exceptional choice for the job, so of course I agreed. We had a strictly employee/employer relationship."

Val thought that sounded very well rehearsed. "I see. And, may I ask if the relationship turned more, well…personal?"

Stephens was immediately indignant. "Of course not! I would never—_she_ would never—!" 

A knock at the door interrupted him. _"Boss? We caught an intruder..."_

Stephens sighed. "Yes, yes, come in..." 

A huge bodyguard entered, dragging along a struggling Danny. "What should we do with him, sir?" 

Danny crossed his arms, huffing and grumbling, "I frickin' _hate_ this city..."

Val and Tucker stifled their laughter. "Uhh…he's actually one of ours…." Tucker stated.

Danny huffed. "Y'coulda waited for me..." 

Stephens sighed again. "Fine. You may let him go." 

The guard did so and left, Danny still huffing and grumbling to himself.

Val tried to salvage their previous conversation. "…I think I didn't make myself clear, sir. I was not implying, as do some rumors, that you two had an affair. Merely that, at least for all intents and purposes, the relationship shared between you two seemed a bit more than purely professional, especially of late."

Danny raised an eyebrow at this, mumbling, "Stupid not knowin' anythin' about anyone in this stupid city..." 

"It was a _professional_ relationship, nothing more, nothing less. Jamie was one of my best employees, and I am hard pressed to find a replacement for her as campaign manager."

"Of course, sir," Val soothed, "our deepest apologies. As I said, this sort of thing needs to go on record to…assuage the locals more than all else."

"Of course, of course. Is that all?"

"Well, to be honest, I'm curious," Tucker continued. "Not to call you a liar, but..exactly how well did you know the deceased if it was purely professional? You've only been on the campaign trail for a couple of months now, and even the most _seasoned_ politicians aren't always so keen to pick up on someone's work ethic as well as you seem to have done."

Stephens noticed Danny glaring at him and narrowed his eyes at the cowboy. "Mind if you call off your _attack dog_ before I answer?"

Tucker's eyes went wide, glancing between the two. "Uhh…of course. Is there a room where my friend can relax? I'm sure the little…show he's just witnessed outside has put him quite on edge."

Stephens turned his distrusting stare on Tucker. "My security won't take well to him wandering about."

"Not at all, sir. I am merely requesting, with your permission, that, well…he be able to sit in some other room and cool off. Maybe even have a drink…?"

"And I understand that, but forgive me if I'm... doubtful that he'll remain in one place." Stephens glared once more at Danny, who grumbled to himself, glaring back. 

"Not to worry," Val said. "My partner will escort him, if that will help to ease your mind."

Stephens pursed his lips but nodded. "I suppose it will have to... Fine, there's a room across the hall you may use."

"Many thanks, sir. Tuck?" 

"On it. C'mon, man. Let's split." Tucker grabbed Danny's arm, practically dragging him to the door.

As he was frog-marched out, Danny called back, "Just know that, if you're lyin' 'bout your 'professional relationship' with 'er, we _will_ find out."

Tucker quickly pulled Danny out, Val blinking after them before turning back to Stephens. "S—Sorry. He's new in town. Tends to be a bit…blunt sometimes..."

Stephens narrowed his eyes, glaring in the direction Danny'd gone. "It's alright. I assumed as much from his... demeanor."

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

Tucker shut the door behind them, turning back to face a simmering Danny. "Cool it, dude. He may be a slug, but we need to respect the process here."

"You're tellin' me ta cool it when the slug in there prob'ly _raped_ our vic!"

Tucker winced at that, but stood his ground. "Dude. _Trust _me. If the guy is _proven_ guilty, it'll be all _anyone_ can do to keep the boss off that worm. Either way, I have a feeling the director'll have a few choice words for the good candidate."

Danny crossed his arms, grumbling, "This is why we roast our mayors before we vote 'em inta office..."

"…Yes, I've heard of the grilling that's commonplace in smaller locales. But Dan, you have to understand. As I'm sure Val's mentioned to you by now, this city has enough people in it to where most only care about their own bottom lines. Generally speaking, they couldn't care _less_ if a politician has an unsavory character, long as he does what they want him to: lower taxes, keep tax cuts in force…."

As Tucker spoke, Danny snuck over to the door. "Either way, they shouldn't _be_ in office in the first place..."

Tucker stopped him just before the door. "Oooh no, you don't!"

Danny's nose wrinkled when he realized he was caught. "Dangit..."

"Dude, you _have_ to understand something. If you do anything, _anything_ to him without _prior proof_, there's gonna be hell to pay. Not the _least_ of which being the case against him being at the very _least_ postponed indefinitely."

Danny grumbled angrily.

The door opened, and Val peeked in. "Everything okay in here, guys?"

"Can I kill the smug little jerk yet?" Danny demanded.

"…No, not yet. We need to get going. See you guys back in the squad room."

Danny ran a hand through his hair, remembering that he wouldn't be riding Yoki. "...Right... Dangit..."

Val quirked an eyebrow at him, a hand on her hip. "Hey, you can still make the decision. Ride back with me on the 'screaming metal deathtrap', then on Yoki, or just ride back to HQ with Tuck. Your choice, pal."

Danny paled. "I'll-go-straight-back."

Val chuckled. "Okay, okay. Heel, silver, heel!"

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

A/N: Sorry again about the wait. But, while I'm on that subject, **I may not be able to update much if at all in July, as I have a summer class that I absolutely cannot bomb.** As such, I probably won't be on much, so unfortunately, I may not get another chapter of this story up until August. Sorry!


	4. Case One Part Four

A/N: Wow, I am _so_ sorry that this hasn't been updated in forever. I've got a lot pre-written for it, but adding the narrative takes up time that I couldn't waste this past semester (college wants to kill me) and August was shot since we were gone for two and a half weeks on vacation. But hey, now I'm no longer the only one in my family who hasn't been to Disney! ...Yeah, I didn't think that'd make it better.

Please enjoy!

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

Dash grunted, mumbling, "Why couldn't _I _go to that house. Roy Rogers coulda stayed behind!"

Sam rolled her eyes. "He needs a bit of field experience out here. After all, he still needs to get used to city life."

Dash stared incredulously at that. "...So you're sending him to a politician's summer resort? You have any idea what they _do_ to outright liars in his area of this country?"

"I'm sure Tucker and Valerie can contain him. Besides, I seem to remember _your_ last interaction with a politician didn't exactly go smoothly."

Dash refused to meet her eyes. "...Yeah, well, that dweeb _deserved_ it. 'Sides, that was more from havin' enough of his BS than not having been exposed to the… openness of that species…."

Sam's phone rang. She pulled it out while replying, "For the last time, politicians may not be the nicest people, but they _are_ the _same _species as us." She flipped open the phone. "Manson."

_"How is the case going, Sam?" _Lancer asked over the line.

"It's going," Sam responded. "Tucker and Valerie took our new recruit to interrogate our main suspect."

_"I see. And how is our new… acquisition handling his recent transfer?"_

"He seems to be taking it well, sir. I sent him out with the others so he'd get a better idea of city life."

_"Good idea. I don't mean to bother you. Just thought I should remind you how… closely this case will be followed by the local population, as well as some… more tenacious individuals."_

Sam nodded, even though she knew Lancer couldn't see. "Of course, sir. My team knows that."

_"I know they do. It's just something I have to mention. Carry on." _ The phone disconnected.

Sam hung up, as well, turning to Dash. "Alright, Dash, let's check back in with Esu, see how far he's gotten with Donaldson's findings on Stephens."

Dash grinned. "You got it, boss!" He tugged out his own phone and pressed a number on his speed dial.

_"Herro?"_ Esu answered._ "What may I do for you, Dashy-dear?"_

"...Uh, nothing, E—Can you turn down your music a shade?"

_Dash could practically _see_ the redhead cross his arms in a huff. "Hmph, what do you people have against metal...?"_

"I don't have anything against your choice of genre, Esu. Just your choice of _volume_."

_"Fine." _The volume lowered just a shade. _ "What's your problem?"_

Dash blinked at the harsh response. "Whoa, calm down, killer. Boss just wants to know if anything's changed since we last visited your little kingdom."

_"Ah, well, I _**_have_**_ looked in to dear Ms. Donaldson's research on her boss. Boy, was _**_he_**_ in with the wrong crowds..."_

"...We'll be right down." Dash hung up and spun to Sam. "Boss, Esu's got something you should see."

Sam nodded. "Let's go, then." The two rushed to the elevator and down to the lab.

Dash tried to placate the annoyed redhead upon entering. "Sorry about that cut-off, Esu. What was it you were saying about that bast—I mean, candidate, being in the wrong circles?"

Esu rolled his eyes, then they glinted mischievously. "Mr. Stephens has some shady dealings going on with a couple of gangs. Apparently, he's getting funds from them in return for protection when he becomes mayor. Note the arrogance in that '_when'_."

Dash and Sam exchanged a glance before Dash asked, "...Any ideas as to which gangs?"

Esu waved a hand. "Please, _challenge_ me for once. The Falcons and the Vipers."

The blond rolled his eyes. "...Esu, you _know_ we appreciate your expertise. I know you get exasperated, but please. Lighten up a bit...?"

"Thank you, Esu," Sam said. "Anything else?"

Esu glanced between the two, looking nervous. "Just be careful out there. Those two gangs are some of the most violent. I don't know _what _Stephens was thinking, getting involved with them. They will rip his head off if he fails to repay them."

Dash raised a hand, a confused look spreading across his face. "Wait… one question. I thought these two gangs were _blood rivals_. How're they existing if the _same_ guy's helping them_ both!_ Seems to me that the good mayor-to-be could very well have been dead _already_…."

Esu rolled his eyes. "Please, Dash. The way they see it, once Stephens takes office, they've got full rein to start the gang war they've always wanted to, and _neither_ group will be condemned for it."

"...True." Dash's phone rang, and he answered it quickly. "Dash here."

_"Hey, Dash. I'm back at the ranch house."_

"Oh, okay, Val. Where's the dynamic duo?"

Val gave a humorless chuckle. "_Hah. Good one. Well, Danny didn't wanna ride back with me on the director's newest toy, so he and Tuck took the sedan straight back to the motor pool. They should be there soon._"

"Okay, that's cool. They're probably gettin' quick-draw through the front door security checkpoint."

_"...There's that…."_

"Okay, well, see ya when you get here."

_"Okay, later!"_ Valerie hung up.

Sam glanced at Dash, an eyebrow raised. "Tucker and Danny are back then?"

Esu bounced a bit, rubbing his hands together excitedly. "Ooooh! Mr. Cowboy's back from the field?"

Dash blinked at Esu's enthusiasm. "...Uh, yeah. That's what Val suggested. She took the ATV back to the director's ranch solo."

Sam sighed. "I assume we'll have to set up a hitching post outside until Danny gets some other mode of transportation..."

"That might be a good idea. Though, I'd like to see you _try _and get Danny to use any other method of movement than his mare. Seems like they're practically conjoined to each other," Dash joked, snickering.

"While it's nice that he can get around quicker than city travel, it _will_ become problematic to have a horse trailing us constantly," Sam pointed out.

"Hey, I agree completely, Boss. I just don't wanna be the one tryin' to explain it to _him._"

Sam pursed her lips. "Right, that _will_ be a problem, won't it...? Well, we should go meet Tuck and Danny."

"Okay." They headed for the exit, Dash calling back, "Catcha later, Esu!"

"Bring the cowboy with you next time!" Esu replied.

The lab's door closed behind them, and Dash turned to Sam. "...You don't think Esu's...?"

"Hm? Esu's what, Dash?"

Dash bit his lip. "Well… I know he's… attracted to me and all, I just think he's a bit more… obvious toward Dan. Not sayin' I'm necessarily against homosexuality, just… well, Esu seems especially… forward with Danny. I'd be scared _witless _if I didn't know Esu's… leanings beforehand."

Sam sighed as they got back into the elevator and headed back up. "Dash, we all know Esu's flaming. Whether or not he's _actually_ attracted has never seemed to encourage his… enthusiasm at flirting."

"Thats exactly my _point_, though. Boss, he's always been dropping… hints as to his… hidden desires, b—but he's always been careful to do it subtly: joking, or whatever. With Dan, though…." Dash trailed off, leaving Sam to fill in the blanks.

"In any case, we'll just monitor Esu when they're together. No worries, unless Esu gets _too_ forward."

Dash nodded. "...Okay, boss. Your call."

Up ahead, they could hear a loud complaint. "Aww, c'mon! I was in here just a coupla hours ago! Why do ya hafta check my guns _again?_"

Sam's eyelids dropped to half mast, her expression unimpressed. "I think they're back..."

They heard Tucker right around the corner. "Danny, please. They're just doing their job. You aren't an official part of the team, yet, so they can't give you special treatment."

Danny grumbled as they came closer. "Dangit, they shouldn't hafta recheck people they _just checked a few hours ago!_" The last was yelled over his shoulder at the guards.

"Uhh… dude. Two words. Nine. Eleven."

Danny blinked. "...That was in an airplane, this is different..."

Tucker stared for a moment, then shook himself out of the shock. "Well… yes, but the idea is complacency _sucks._"

"Easy, boys," Sam said as they met up. "We've got a new lead, but we'll go over it once Valerie arrives."

"Really?" Tuck asked. "Ah, well. Did she say anything about Dan's… excitement over the director's pet project?"

Dash snickered. "Yeah. Sounds like John Wayne here nearly lost his lunch…."

Danny huffed, crossing his arms. "I did _not._ ...I just wasn't expectin' it ta fly..."

Dash blinked, then burst out laughing. "HAHA! I guess you've never seen _Back to the Future_…."

Danny stared, his head tilting a bit. "Back ta what? That don't even make sense!"

Tucker and Dash stared blankly at him.

Danny shuffled his feet a little, slightly uncomfortable with the attention. "What? I told y'all, we didn't have a TV on the ranch..."

Tucker snapped out of it first. "Uhh… yeah. S—Sorry, it's just that—" He glanced at Dash, seeing he still looked glazed-over, and stomped on his foot.

"Yow!" Dash cried, glaring at Tuck. "Watch it, bub!"

"Dash… you were almost drooling."

"...oh… darn it!"

Danny just stared, very confused.

Sam crossed her arms. "If you'd all quit acting like _children_, we should head to the squad room to wait for Valerie."

Tucker and Dash looked cowed. "...Yes, boss…."

"Y—Yes, ma—" Danny's phone interrupted him, and he blinked. "Um..." He pulled out his phone, gaped at the number, then glanced back up at Sam. "I—I'd better take this. I'll catch up with y'all later."

Sam studied him a moment, then nodded. "Alright."

Danny took off.

"Well… _that_ was awkward..." Dash mumbled.

Sam stared after the Texan. "Wonder who that could've been...?"

Dash waved a dismissive hand. "Tch. Probably wants to talk with _mommy_ away from his new friends."

Tucker glanced at Dash, an eyebrow raised. "...Don't_ you_ still do that?"

"...Shut up."

Sam shook herself out of it. "I swear you two bicker like children..."

Dash pointed at Tuck, saying, "_He _started it!"

Sam just rolled her eyes. "...Case and point, thank you, Dash."

"Neandertal..." Tuck mumbled.

"You, too, Tuck. And it's 'neander_th_al'. If you're going to insult someone, do it properly. Now, c'mon, we've still gotta wait for Valerie."

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

"Tch. When is she gonna get _back _already!" Dash was complaining only a few minutes later.

Tucker rolled his eyes. "Dash, chill. she's going on _real_ horsepower, y'know!"

"...S—So?"

"Calm yourselves, boys, she's heading over now, though we still have to wait for Danny to get back," Sam stated, nodding towards the entrance, where, indeed, Valerie was just arriving.

"Tch. Like anyone knows when _that's_ gonna happen…." Dash huffed.

Val walked up then. "Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late."

Tuck shrugged. "It's okay, Val." Then he smirked. "How was Yoki?"

Val's brow furrowed. "Uh… good, how—?"

"I overheard you talking with Dan," he responded, grinning.

"Oh. Okay." Val turned to Sam. "How're things here, boss?"

"We've got a lead," she said, "and we'll tell you about it as soon as Danny comes back."

"Okay… where'd he go?"

Dash huffed, crossing his arms. "Tch. Eastwood got a mysterious call, then ran out."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Dash, what'd I say about acting childish?"

Dash glanced away. "...Whatev…."

Danny walked back over, glowering at the floor.

"H—Hey, man," Tuck called, trying to catch the Texan's attention, "what's up?"

The cowboy just seemed to ignore it.

Dash, Tucker, and Valerie exchanged a glance, then the blond waved a hand in front of Danny. "Hello! Earth to Daniel!"

But he still didn't notice.

Sam rolled her eyes, then yelled, "FENTON!"

Danny jumped, eyes wide, and fell to the floor. "W—Wha—?"

Dash snickered.

"Dude, you okay?" Tuck asked, obviously concerned.

"I—I'm fine, I just—you surprised me..."

"Well, _yeah!_" Dash exclaimed. "Dude, your face was glazed over like a freakin' _doughnut!_"

"Dash!" Sam admonished, hands on hips.

"Well… it _was!_"

Danny blushed. "S—Sorry..."

Tuck waved a hand dismissively. "It's cool, man. Who was on your cell?"

Danny's eyes widened again before he glanced away nervously. "Ah—n—no one, just... someone from my hometown..."

"Someone from home… made you _that_ bug-eyed!" Val asked incredulously.

"I—I wasn't bug-eyed!" Danny disagreed. "...J—Just thinkin'..."

"Dude. I'm the _king_ of daydreaming—" Dash and Valerie snickered at that, causing Tuck to roll his eyes before continuing "—but I know what that look is. What you just showed was _definitely _**_not_** that!"

"N—No, I—I was _really_ just thinkin'!"

"Okay, okay." Tucker raised his hands placatingly. "Chill. No sweat, man."

"Yeah, take a breather. Anyway," Val turned to Sam, "what's the new info, boss?"

Sam ignored Danny's huffing. "We've got a lead. We'll have to split up into two groups, one each to question the Falcons and the Vipers."

Val blinked. "...You _can't_ be _serious!_"

The new comer just looked confused. "The who and the what now?"

"Oh… nothing…" Val said, waving a hand in annoyance, "just the _two_ most _blood-thirsty_ gangs this side of _anywhere!_"

Danny blinked. "Gangs? Oh, y'mean like bandits?"

"...Uhh… yeah, except multiply the effect of bandits about the same factor as the population difference, then multiply that by at _least_ twice!" Val exclaimed.

"...Have any of y'all ever had to go _through_ a bandit attack? I think ya might be underestimatin' 'em..."

Tucker shook his head. "Dude, we're not doubting their… ferocity, but that's still a one-front war. Here, there're at _least_ three gangs working the streets at any _one _time!"

Danny still didn't seem to agree. "...Just 'cause they don't have diff'rent names don't mean they're all in cahoots."

"...Dan. How many times did you have more than one group attack simultaneously?"

Danny's face darkened as he glared at the floor. "Plenty..."

Tucker blinked, obviously not having expected such a powerful reaction. "Okay… what kinda weapons do they use?"

"Guns and torches, mostly." Danny's head tilted in thought. "Some whips and knives, too..."

Dash chuckled. "What about AK-47's, frag grenades, RPG's, rocket launchers…. Shall I go on?"

"Yeah, well when y'all lose your whole year's worth 'a crops 'cause one frickin' bandit dropped a torch on a plant, y'all can complain..."

"...Dude. What would you rather lose?" Dash asked. "A year's worth of crops due to one torch, or your _entire_ _family_ thanks to a block of C-4?"

Danny just ignored that and turned to Sam. "Where d'ya want us ta go, ma'am?"

Sam blinked at him for a moment, then shook her head and replied, "Split into two groups. One'll go to the Falcons' base, the other to the Vipers'."

"Okay," Val said. "Who goes where?"

"Dash, you and Danny head to the Vipers, Tuck, Val, and I'll go to the Falcons."

Dash rolled his eyes. "...Whatever. Let's roll, Tex!"

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

Dash pulled up, powering down the car. "Well, here we are!"

Danny glanced around. "Uh, where's 'here', exac'ly?"

"One of the Vipers' known hangouts, that's where! Weren't you paying attention back at the squad room!"

Danny looked at Dash, unimpressed. "...It's a _dumpster._"

Dash seemed surprised at first, then rolled his eyes. "...Dude, this is the lower side of Amity Park. Did you think the _whole area _was as pristine as Main Street?"

"...We have dust fields cleaner'n _this_ mess..." Danny looked around again, still not thinking much of the place.

"Yeah, well. Another glaring difference when you don't have as many people taking up roughly the same space. Where you come from, the average family probably has about ten acres apiece, right? Here, you're lucky to get a little flower box on a windowsill."

Danny hid his shock behind a grimace. "...Whatever... So where's these Vipers at, anyway?"

Dash tugged Danny into an alley, glaring. "Dude! Don't be so obvious. They already know we're here, no need to broadcast any intentions!"

One of Danny's eyebrows shot up in confusion. "Broadcast what? We're just here to ask questions, right?"

Dash slumped, sighing, then brushed a hand through his hair. "Danny, these guys're armed to the _teeth_. They have weapons you probably never even _heard_ of! They _own_ this area, man! They have lookouts all _over_ this section of the city, warning them about rival gang members and other trespassers, _especially_ LEO's like us!"

Danny still seemed confused. "...Leo...?"

Dash slapped his palm to his forehead. "...Never mind. Just don't be so open around these guys, alright?"

"Stupid roundabouts.…" Danny grumbled. "We never went this outta the way with dealin' with bandits..."

"Dude. Think of it this way. You probably come from a town of about a few hundred some-odd individuals, each with enough common sense, know-how, resources, and what not to defend themselves well enough. Everyone there probably also has enough of a group mentality to protect any of their neighbors if anything happens. Here, well… as you've probably been told, the need for personal survival _trumps_ **_anything_** else. That, and the fact that the average person doesn't own any kind of weapon, _or_ the knowledge on how to use one…."

Danny ignored that, staring behind the blond. "Uh, Dash...?"

"_WHAT!_" Dash snarled, glaring at Danny.

"...One of those Viper guys's behind you."

Dash's eyes went wide before he whirled around to see a smirking, well-muscled Latino behind him. "What's up, _amigo?_" the gang banger asked.

"Uh… nothin', man," Dash answered. "Just wanted to talk to you for a sec."

The Viper glanced around the alley. "You in the wrong neighborhood, _hombre_?"

Dash flashed his badge and gun. "I think I'm in the right place, actually."

The man blinked at the gun, then at Dash. "Okay, _gringo_, your choice. _Un momento, por favor._" He walked off.

Dash sighed. "You saw the cylinders on his wrists, right?"

Danny had seen the tattooed lines. "Yeah...?"

"That means he's lowest on the totem pole," Dash explained. "Each cylinder represents a part of a rattlesnake's rattle. Grunts have one, requiring increasingly brutal acts to rise up the ladder."

"...Cylinders are bad, got it."

"Yeah. Course, once they get enough rings, well… they begin to get the actual snake tattooed on their body. Sometimes in… unique areas."

Danny's nose wrinkled at the thought. "...Lovely. So where'd that guy run off ta, anyway?"

"Eh, I dunno." Dash shrugged. "Probably to get someone higher up to deal with us. Gang like this, if _anyone_ so much as _sneezes_ without at least one superior's permission, well… a headshot would be _greatly_ appreciated…."

"...So... we just wait?" Danny seemed to not believe that they were waiting on an outlaw.

"Yeah. Shouldn't be long, though—"

"_Burro!_" a new arrival called out. He also had the cylinders, though several more than the last member."_¿Que pasa, señor?_"

Dash grinned. "Here he comes."

Danny tried to hide a smirk, whispering, "Hey, Dash, how much Spanish d'ya know?"

"Enough. Why?"

Danny's eyes glinted mischievously. "'Cause he called ya an ass."

Dash rolled his eyes. "I know. You don't have to whisper, anyway. I've dealt with this _chica_ before."

"_What'd you call me!_" the Viper snarled.

"_Fácil, amigo_." Danny interrupted, stepping forward. "_Mi socio aquí no tiene ninguna pista sobre lo que está diciendo que la mitad del tiempo en inglés, así que su español es probable que sea tan malo, si no a empeorar._"

"Hold up, _pistolero_!" the Viper said, turning to Danny. "_¡Yo no conozco, señor! Pero, este mujer...!_" He stomped up to Dash, glaring, but once they were face to face, they shared a chest bump.

"_Sí, sí, la mujer no vale la pena su tiempo, aunque_." Danny shook his head, then continued in English. "We just came for questions. We hoped you'd help us get some of your money back to you."

The gang member blinked, and Dash snickered, saying quietly, "...Dude, you don't have to be so jumpy. This guy's on our side."

The Viper continued in the same tone. "_Sí, si. Pero, no diga a mis amigos, por favor._"

Danny blinked. "...Right. Sorry, not 'xactly use ta city life yet. Don't have insiders back home..."

The Viper stared in shock, then glanced at Dash. "_¿...estás serio?_"

"Yeah…" Dash replied, "he's from Texas."

"Ahh, _el teritorio anterior de Mexico, no? Bueno. ¿Como te llamas, señor?_"

"_Me llamo Danny Fenton. Y tu?_"

"Jesus Sanchez," the man responded, shaking Danny's hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Dash rolled his eyes. "...Now that we've all gotten acquainted…."

"Right, man. I assume you're here cause of that _bonita's_ un_timely_ death?" Jesus raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

"Heh. You guessed it."

"Well… I've been trying to find some stuff out, but not much as of yet."

Dash sighed. "Okay, I wasn't really expecting much." He glanced at Jesus, looking mildly concerned. "You still got that burn phone?"

Jesus waved a hand. "Please. _¡Todavia tengo mi dinero de almuerzo del tercer grado!_"

Dash and Sanchez shared a laugh. "Okay, well. Catch ya later!"

"_¡Adios, mis amigos!_" Sanchez called, waving as they headed back to their car.

"Well, let's get back, Dan. Don't want to be late if there's nothing to report."

"Yeah, sure. _¡Adios!_" Danny called over his shoulder before sliding into the car.

As they drove back, Dash asked, "So, how'd ya like city life so far?"

Danny shrugged. "It's... diff'rent."

"Heh. I thought so—"

Dash was interrupted by the police band radio. _}Calling all units, calling all units. Robbery-in-progress at 2nd and 5th. Any available units _**_please respond!_**_{_

Dash smirked. "Heh… never a dull moment. Hold on!" That said, he flipped on the lights and sirens and pulled a U-turn.

Danny was thrown into the door. "Holy—! Gawd, warn a person, wouldja?"

"Heh. I did. It's not _my_ fault your reflexes aren't quick enough!"

"I _hate_ cars..." Danny grumbled, crossing his arms.

Dash's smirk widened. "Why? I doubt your little horsey can go _this_ fast!"

"She can get close 'nough for me..."

"Heh. Sissy…." Dash teased.

Danny rolled his eyes. "So what's goin' on that we've gotta pull stunts?"

"...did you hear the radio!" Dash demanded, eyes wide in surprise that Danny hadn't been paying attention. "Robbery, dude!" He bounced a little in his seat, eyes bright.

"Awright, why's that make _you_ so happy?"

Dash shrugged. "I'm not happy so much as getting an adrenaline boost. Kind of an unconscious reaction whenever I'm entering an already-dangerous situation."

"Wha's so dangerous 'bout a robbery?" Danny asked, brow furrowing. "Shoot the guy's gun hand and you're good."

Dash shook his head. "Dude… who said anything about a _single_ robber!"

Danny blinked. "Oh, y'mean like there's a few guys just millin' 'bout outside with the leader inside?"

Dash stared for a second at Danny before focusing on the road again. "Dude… we _never _know_ how_ many perps we have. Yet another difference between here and your area. Large population equals _any number_ of potential factors affecting how we react to the crime at hand."

"Really? So word-a-mouth don't spread so quick here? Back home, a fella'd know within two minutes how many robbers there were at a break-in five miles away..."

Dash blinked, then shook his head. "...Danny, you probably know _everyone_ in your town. And, as I said before, everyone here doesn't know or care about really _anyone_ else. That, and they really don't know diddly _squat_ about self-defense, so… they'd just as well keep their mouths _shut_ when someone starts opening fire."

Danny stared blankly at Dash. "...Sure. Don't we have a robb'ry to stop?"

"Yup!" Dash stomped on the brakes, making the car screech to a halt. "Let's go!"

Danny grimaced, pulling himself off the dash board. "Yeah, sure..."

Dash crept up to the corner, putting an earpiece in one ear. _}What've we got, folks?{_ he asked over the comm line.

_}Interesting situation, Baxter,{_ came the reply._ }Seems your old partner's kid's the mastermind this time.{_

Dash blinked. _}...Ricky! Damn….{_

_}I know, man. You still goo—?{_

_}I'm dialed in, Dave. Don't matter who the enemy is, you know that,{ _Dash stated, checking his gun's clip.

_}Glad you're still with us.{_

Danny blinked at Dash, having missed one half of the conversation since he didn't have an earpiece. "So… wha's goin' on?"

"Oh… nothing," Dash said casually. "Just an old family friend's the big wig in there…."

"...awright, so what's the plan?"

"Well, that's up to Dave, but…." Dash slung a slim backpack off his back, opening it. "I think I'll get Betsy ready, just in case." He pulled out a modified, collapsible M-16.

Danny stared at him disbelievingly. "...Ya named a gun after a _cow_..."

"I don't care _what_ the name might be used for normally. I like the name and I _love_ my gun, so…."

"Sure, sure..." Danny pulled out first his Python to check it, then slid it back into place before checking on his two Anacondas. "Ready when y'all are."

Dash sighed, mumbling, "Show-off…."

Danny blinked at him. "What? It's not like I brought along my 12-gauge..."

"…_Rub it _**_in_**, why don't you!"

Danny's head tilted, honestly confused. "Rub what in?"

"...Never mind!"

_}Alright, people,{_ Dave continued over the comm. _ }Baxter's here, and it sounds like he's got an arsenal with him.{_

Dash twitched.

_}Dash, you think your buddy can take the shot?{_

_}...I'll see.{_ He turned to Danny. "Can you make a shot across the street, through glass, at a slight angle with any of those?"

"All three," Danny replied. "Why?"

"...y'see that little glass mirror behind the register?"

Danny glanced across the street at the bank, looking through the window at the registers. Sure enough, behind one was a small mirror. "Yeah...?"

"Well, do what you need to to get a good position." Dash handed Danny a walkie talkie. "As soon as I give you the signal, shoot the glass."

Danny nodded. "Gotcha." He glanced around at the area, then headed off.

Dash sighed, then focused, calling out through the comm, _}Okay, Dave. Tex's ready.{_

_}Good, good.{_

For a while, everyone just sat, watching tensely as Ricky tried to get his demands met and threatened to start shooting.

Dash raised the walkie talkie to his mouth. "Ready, Dan?"

_"Ready when y'all are,"_ Danny replied.

"Good." Dash pulled out a small set of binoculars and studied the would-be robber. "Okay. Three… two… one…_ NOW!_"

There was a soft BANG in the distance and above, then a slump was heard from inside the bank. Dash called over the comm, _}How's that, Dave?{_

_}...Well I'll be!{_ the man gaped._ }Good thing your friend's such a crack shot!{_

Dash rolled his eyes. _}...You had SWAT on the roof, didn't you?{_

_}Hey, y'know me. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.{_

_}...Yeah, yeah. I know.{_

_}We can take it from here, man. Thanks!{_

_}No prob, Dave,{ _Dash answered._ }Anytime!{_

Dave chuckled. }_Thank your new buddy for me, too.{_

Dash sighed in slight annoyance and jealousy, but replied, }_Will do.{ _He picked the walkie talkie back up. "Okay, Dan. Coast's clear. Let's head back."

_"Ah—sure thing."_ Danny sounded a little nervous._ "It'll take me a couple minutes ta get back, though. Got a bit tangled up over here..."_

One of Dash's eyebrows jumped up at that. "...Need any help?"

_"Naw,"_ Danny said,_ "I'll just be a sec."_

"...Okay," Dash was a bit unsure, "see ya when you get here."

Some crashing and cursing came across the walkie talkie, and Dash stared at it in amusement. "...You didn't shimmy up a fire escape, did you?"

Danny sounded a little out of breath when he answered. _"Naw, some stuff fell over on my way up, and I may've forgotten it was there..."_

Dash bit back a chuckle. "...I see. Well, I'll be in the car." He turned off the walkie talkie and went to sit in his car. A few minutes later, he glanced up to see Danny limping over. "...You sure you're alright?"

Danny blushed. "I may not've had ta shimmy _up_ a fir'scape, but I had to shimmy _down_ one to get around the mess. Unfortunately, I picked an old one that was missing the last third..."

Dash blinked for a moment, trying to decide whether to laugh or ask how the heck Danny managed that before rolling his eyes. "...Whatever. Job's done, that's what counts. Let's get outta here!"

7|-|3 |\|4|2|20\/\/ |204|)

A/N: Finally! Okay, so this story's finally been updated (and my friend and I are finally back to working on it again)! For those of you who do not know Spanish (me included, my friend did the translating), here's what was said during the little exchange with the Viper.

_Amigo_ = friend

_Hombre_ = man

_Gringo_ = foreigner

_Un momento, por favor_ = one moment, please.

_Burro_ = donkey/ass

_¿Que pasa, señor?_ = what's up, man?

_Chica_ = girl

_Fácil, amigo_. = Easy, friend.

_Mi socio aquí no tiene ninguna pista sobre lo que está diciendo que la mitad del tiempo en inglés, así que su español es probable que sea tan malo, si no a empeorar _=My associate here does not have any idea what he is saying half of the time in English, so his Spanish is probably just as bad, if not worse.

_Pistolero _= Gunman

_¡Yo no conozco, señor! Pero, este mujer...!_ = I don't know, man! But this woman…!

_Sí, sí, la mujer no vale la pena su tiempo, aunque _= Yes, yes, the woman is not worth the time, though.

_Sí, si. Pero, no diga a mis amigos, por favor. _= Yes, yes, but don't tell my friends, please.

_¿...estás serio?_ = Is he serious?

_El teritorio anterior de Mexico, no? Bueno. ¿Como te llamas, señor?_ = The previous territory of Mexico, no? Good. What's your name?

_Me llamo Danny Fenton. Y tu? _ = My name is Danny Fenton. And you?

_Bonita_ = little pretty (one/girl)

_¡Todavia tengo mi dinero de almuerzo del tercer grado!_ = I still have my third grade lunch money!

_¡Adios, mis amigos!_ = Goodbye, my friends!

_¡Adios!_ = Goodbye

Well, I think that's about it. Hopefully it doesn't take another seven months to get out the next chapter, or this story will _never_ get finished (though, seeing how much is going into it, this one's gonna be LONG). Read and review, please!


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